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It expanded last year. Now it's shrinking despite statistics that suggest the program has been a success.

About five years ago, the Eagle County School District's bus system implemented a Positive Behavior and Intervention Support (PBIS) program. It was aimed at re-enforcing positive behavior on the school bus with small, tangible rewards such as pencils and stickers. There are also larger incentives, such as movie tickets and pizza parties, which are awarded less frequently.

Bus drivers and transportation specialists like Lark Masten and Mike Safransky are convinced the program works. However, they are having a hard time with funding. The town of Gypsum has been the greatest supporter of the program, donating $1,500 for 2012 and $2,000 for 2013. The town also gave money in 2010.

That's why the PBIS program is refocusing its efforts to the Gypsum area, Masten told Gypsum Town Council at its meeting last Tuesday.

Masten and Safransky presented statistics that indicate the number of referrals - disciplinary action - on school buses has dropped significantly since PBIS started. They estimated more than 18 hours of administrative time has been saved, time that was formerly spent on disciplinary matters.

"That amount of time is a huge deal," Masten said.

The PBIS program is now starting to integrate with some schools, such as Red Hill Elementary, where Masten is noting a particularly high success rate in positive behavior.

She requested the town to up its donation from $1,500 to $2,000 for 2013 even though $1,500 was already budgeted.

"This money will help grow the program," she said.

Ultimately the council members voted to donate $2,000, with the extra $500 coming from the town's grant fund. Tim McMichael abstained from the vote and Tom Edwards dissented. Gary Lebo was absent.

"I'm a disciplinarian and I was skeptical but it does work," Safransky said. "It works and we're trying to push it to the rest of the county."

The Colorado Department of Transportation will repair two sections of the Interstate 70 Glenwood Canyon concrete bike path this week, effectively closing the path just east of Hanging Lake Tunnel until 9 a.m. on Monday, Nov. 5.

The work will repair two sections where concrete has settled, causing a lift in the connecting slab's edge. One work area is located near the Hanging Lake rest area and the other further east near highway mile marker 127. The damaged area lies on a path curve, making it difficult to anticipate for cyclists and roller-bladers.

"This is a popular path and we do regret the inconvenience this closure will cause - but we have to take care of this safety hazard for our cycling and skating customers," CDOT Maintenance Supervisor Kane Schneider said. "We've posted warning signs and have applied a cold asphalt patch to the section, but this temporary fix requires daily monitoring and needs to be repaired permanently."

As locals will remember, heavy run-off in the spring of 2011 caused major damage to the path, which was under several feet of water through the canyon. The path was fully repaired and opened early for the season in March 2012. Some settling of concrete slabs was not unexpected. This section of the path is monitored and maintained by CDOT patrol crews stationed at the Hanging Lake rest area.

The work area lies on one of the path's elevated sections east of both the I-70 Hanging Lake Tunnel and also a path tunnel. The full closure of the path is necessary on this bridge and will also allow time for the new concrete to cure. The public can still use the path on either side of the closure point (open on each end from either Glenwood Springs on the west and Bair Ranch rest area on the east). But no through travel will be possible until Nov. 5 around 9 a.m. CDOT and the contractor will make every effort to accomplish the work and open the path earlier - customers can check the status on CDOT's traveler information site www.cotrip.org

CDOT has contracted Mueller Construction to complete the repairs for an approximate cost of $24,000.

CDOT closes the Glenwood Canyon Bike Path each winter-sometimes as late as early December - when winter maintenance activities on I-70 above can create unsafe conditions on the path. The path typically opens in April, as weather permits.

- Staff report

Early voting is now available at all Eagle County Clerk and Recorder's offices in Avon, Eagle and El Jebel from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays through Nov. 2.

The 2012 General Election will take place on Nov. 6.

Identification is required for those choosing to vote in person early or on Election Day. There are many acceptable forms of identification, the most common of which are valid Colorado Driver licenses, valid U.S. passports, Medicare cards and student IDs from accredited institutions of higher education in Colorado. Visit www.eaglecounty.us/clerk to determine your polling location.

In addition, voters may still request a mail ballot in person until Friday, Nov. 2. All mail ballots must be received at a Clerk and Recorder location by 7 p.m. on Election Day. Ballots cannot be forwarded and ballots received after Nov. 6 cannot be counted.

Unofficial election results will be posted to www.eaglecounty.us and to Twitter @ECClerk as they become available on election night. Typically, a substantial report is available by 10 p.m. In the event that all ballots cannot be processed and scanned before 1 a.m., election officials will adjourn for the evening and reconvene to continue counting any remaining ballots at 8 a.m. Nov. 7.

For more information, contact the Elections Department at 970-328-8715.

- Staff report

As part of Winter Weather Awareness Week, the Colorado Department of Transportation would like to remind motorists of the numerous free resources CDOT provides for obtaining traffic, road condition, and highway information. CDOT urges motorists to utilize these resources before you travel to ensure you know what to expect and to know the most current information. Remember this winter when there is "Ice and Snow, Take it Slow!"

• 5-1-1: From anywhere in the state, motorists can call 5-1-1 to listen to recorded information about road conditions, projected trip travel times, trucker information. The call is free and the recordings are changed at minimum once an hour, and oftentimes more frequently as conditions change.

• Free email/text alerts available at www.coloradodot.info: Simply click on the green cell phone icon in the upper right hand corner of the page and choose from a list of subscription options. Selections can be changed at any time, and include regional information, road condition updates, trucker chain law information, CDOT news, construction project information, and more. Standard text messaging rates do apply.

• Twitter: Follow @coloradodot for traveler information and other CDOT news. You can also ask us a question, read what others have asked us, and give us feedback. More than 16,000 motorists already follow CDOT.

• Facebook: "Like" CDOT at www.facebook.com/coloradodot. Major updates regarding traveler information and other CDOT news are posted regularly, as well as photos, safe winter driving tips, and other relevant information. CDOT also responds to posts and questions every day.

• Winter Driving Website: Visit www.coloradodot.info/travel/winter-driving to get information about what to keep in your vehicle during the winter, how to safely pass a snow plow, commercial vehicle requirements, seasonal closures, snow removal, avalanche control, and so forth.

CDOT reminds motorists that distracted driving in any form is dangerous. Distracted driving includes using your smart phone, reading a map, and even eating or drinking while you are driving. If you plan to use any of the resources above, please do so before you get behind the wheel and start heading to your destination or safely pull off the road.

- Staff report

A portion of the Colorado River Road in Eagle County will be closed to vehicles at mile marker 15.6 for bridge repair from Oct. 29 through Nov. 2. The closures will be in effect daily from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Mile-marker 15.6 is located approximately halfway between Highway 131 near McCoy and Interstate 70 at Dotsero. Drivers are asked to plan an alternate route during these times, as no vehicles will be able to pass through the work zone.

For more information, contact the Eagle County Road and Bridge Department at 970-328-3540.

- Staff report

The Eagle County Treasurer's Office will hold its annual tax lien sale at 9 a.m. Nov. 8 at the Eagle County Building, located at 500 Broadway in Eagle.

Registration begins at 8 a.m. Currently, there are 362 real property accounts with delinquent taxes totaling over $2 million and 10 mobile home accounts with delinquent taxes totaling approximately $1,000. Any delinquent accounts not paid as of Nov. 6 will be offered at the sale.

The tax lien sale is the final step in the process to ensure taxing entities - such as towns, school districts, fire protection districts and the county - receive funding. The taxes are purchased by investors who earn interest on the tax liens placed on the property. The interest rate on the investment is set at nine points above the Federal Reserve discount rate as of Sept. 1 of each year. The interest rate for this year's sale will be 10 percent.

Also, seminars will be offered on Nov. 7 for investors interested in learning more about the tax lien sale and foreclosure processes. The tax lien sale seminar will be offered at noon at the Eagle County Building and again at 4:30 p.m. at the Eagle Public Library, 600 Broadway in Eagle.

Two foreclosure sale seminars are scheduled immediately following the tax lien sale seminars on Nov. 7. The first will take place at 1 p.m. at the Eagle County Building and the second is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. at the Eagle Public Library. The sessions will include a discussion of the foreclosure process, focusing specifically on foreclosure sales from an investor's viewpoint.

Those interested in attending any of the four seminars are asked to RSVP no later than Nov. 5 by calling 970-328-8860 or online at www.eaglecounty.us/treasurer.